Forming machine



April 17, 1928. 1,666,752 G. H. PETRl FORMING MACHINE Filed Oot.l2. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l vv 1J Zyl. 8\` l 1 a I l z 6o A ez .5a 64 d J6 52, 1 8 c". .46 M

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Apri117, 1928. 1,666,752

G. H. PETRI FORMING MACHINE Filed 066.12, 1922 s shetS-sheey f y @gom-@MKM April 1 7, ma 1,666,752

G. H. PETRI FORMING MACHINE Filed 0Gtl2. 1922' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 estema Apr'. 1v, urea y UNITED Asraxrlas PATENT OFFICE.

l GUNTHERH. PETRI, or Bos'roN, MASSACHUSETTS.

romaine MACHINE.

Application led October 12, 1922. Serial No. 594,065.

This invention relates to improvements in.`

forming machines for, plastic'material, moreV particularly for forming balls. It is especially suitable for kneading and shaping masses of 'dough into balls for loaves ofV bread, or for rolls. T heinvention is illustrated as it maybe applied in `a mechanism of the general type shown vin the United States Patent No. 854,308granted to me May 21, 1907, in which aV somewhat U-shaped` trough is arranged, having a stationary side and a constantly moving side, the latter `being constituted by the inside face fof a revolving bowl. y trough riseshelically and spirally about a The stationary sidel of the vertical stationary shaft or standard'which supports it, whose axis is coincident with the aXis ofrotation of the bowl. The bowl has the shape of a hollow'inverted cone, and is i bowl.- lVhile being thus carried along, the

entire lump of` dough is kneaded, by the eifect of the rolling coupled with` such compression and drag as results from its own'` weight settling it into the trough, and thus is formed into a sealed ball.

The present invention has among itsrobjects the .provision of improved mechanical support and operating mechanism for such akneading table; an improved arrangement of drive with respect thereto, so asrto vgive better nish to the loaf; Vand arrangements )y which dough of all vcommercial sizes, rang-y ing for example from 'one-half ounce to siXty-four ounces or more, may be kneaded' and formed in the same machme without necessity for adjustment. These'objects are accomplished, sofaras the mechanism is Athe 'vertical climb oft e dough tov give it a concerned, by making the cone yof the table truncated yand, by setting up into thetrun cated end thereof a lhollow -upright'conel whose upperV surface formsa bottom for the conical bowl. This conical bottom cooperates both with' the kneading table and trough and with the driving mechanism.i "As to the, latter. it provides an upstandingroof for i an oil. well, and an annular chamber' for grease, 'through which passes the vertical standard on which the sections of ,dough race are' supported stationarily and about which the kneading table-rotates. Because of its upward projection this conical bottom affords a high location for a bearing for the revolving parts, which in combination with f. the low bearing for the same hereinafter described, gives the machine a remarkable ystability notwithstanding the varying "eccentric-L l ity of its load as lum-psofdough are whirled rapidly round by it in unbalanced relation to each other. Other features which contrib-y ute to this smoothness of action are the arfv rangement ofthe driving mechanism whereby ielical gears are mounted in the said oil well so as to'be -partly immersed therein, and the arrangemenhin a grease reservoir, of the high and low bearings, the latter being a combination bearing which not onlyV carries the weight of the rotating'parts but also `cooperates withV the upper bearing to steady them in their rotations. The dip of the convexrco'nical bottom toward the concave kneading table causes-any ball` ofl dough which falls .on the bottomto pass downward andk outward thereon, aided,.yif necessary, by an initial section of the dough race set over the said bottom, tov bring the dough into contact with the kneadin table in positionv to enter the open end of t e trough. While the troughmay have a pitch that causes it to rise uniformly, it is a feature ofthe present mventlon that a portion of it-is horizontal through a .distance y' which may vary but which as here represented is substantially a half circle, thereby providing whatis herein termed a rest lfor the dough, during which it is relieved, ofthe tearing stress which it undergoes when on those parts of the dough racewhich are oblique to Athe movementy of the table. Consequently while the dough is kpassing .this rest lit acquires an augmented skinstrength which leaves it with a better finishafter it has Vvtraversed the -rise ,which follows. n

IIn addition to the rovision of rests in better jfinish, :there may also be provided meansk whereby the dough after travelling upward along one trough may return to the bottom ofthe table andmakev a second ascent` l along another trough arranged vover the sametable, from Vwhence it will be dis-v charged with ta. still `better external finish and a more homogeneous internal texture.

Ifsuch a fine Vdegree of finish of the material is not requiredand one trough passage vof the douv his suilicient, the provision for returning t e balls vto the bottom of the vcone vmay be omitted; and the second trough mayv there be used in the same manner as the first, thus doubling the capacity of the machine, whereby either twice the number of balls of the same size may be formed, or two streams of balls, of two different sizes, may be rolled out simultaneously. lt has, hovcver, been recognized in practice that a smaller trough is best for the smaller sizes, in accordance with which, in my said patent, provided means for making the trough adjustable. 'ihe present invention takes account of this need by providing for troughs of different dimensions, nested together withinthe same kneading table.' Any given section of the tables area acts in cooperation with each race alternately working on masses of differing sizes in the two independent races, receiving and discharging,them at different places.`

Apparatus in which these features are applied is shown in the accompanying draw ings, which illustrate one of the various forms in which the invention may be em.- bodied. lt is intended thatv the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation in medial section of apparatus embodyingl the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan of the same;

Figure 3 is a plan showing a modified form of arrangement of the dough races and supports therefor; and

Figure 4 is an elevation, somewhat enlarged, in section on line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Referringto the drawings, the machine has a hollowcircular base 10, rising from a bedportion which` may extend beyondthe periphery of the base to support a motor, bench etc., and forbeing rigidly secured to any suitable foundation. ylhe hollow base 10 has a horizontal dividing and strengthening web 12 from which a hub 14 projects downward, reenforced by brace plates, to form a strong socket for a stationary shaft or standard l16 extending upward through the machine at its anis; l The 'part of the circular wall ,of the base which is above the web 12 cooperates with vthe web as a bottom, and with an upstanding inner circular wall 18 to constitute an annular oil well or tank in which a bath of lubricating oil may bel retained, its height in the tank being indicated by an oil gauge 20, and its removal being provided for by a valve cock 22. Surround ing the stationary shaft 16 close jabove the hub 14 is a flanged collar 24 upon whose flange rests the cup member of an anti-friction combination step and journal ball bearing 26.' Aboutthis collar, between its flange and a retaining washer 28 under it, a suitable packing or gasket ring 30 is provided to prevent leakage of grease. The diameter of the standard 16 is slightly increased for a portion above the bearing 26, therebyV forminga downward facing shoulder 32 and an upward facing shoulder34, the former of which rests on the cup of the bearing 26.

`'lhe shaft is securely fastened in the socket socket, the shoulder 32, the cup of the bear-` ing 26 and the collar being thus all drawn down tight against the upper end of the socket.

The ball bearing 26, together with a ball bearing 38 resting on the upper shoulder 34 of the shaft, forms the journal of a rotating member comj'irising three portions, viz an upper portion which constitutes a kneading bowl or table 40, being an inverted trun cated hollow cone; a lower portion which constitutes a cylindrical sleeve 42 of' small diameter', encasing -the standard, andengaging the ball bearingsg-an'd an intermediate portion`44, which'is conical, upright, and is projected up into the truncated lower end ofthe upper portion 40 so as to close the opening at its bottom. A protective sheet metal thin shelll 46. may depend from the place where the intermediate vand upper rotating portions are joined, covering the space down to the upper edge of the base 10. The

space vbetween the sleeve 42 and the shaft vor standard 16 constitutes anr annular chamber for grease fed through a tube passing through the apron 46; and since the bearings 26 and 36 make the ends of this annular grease chamber they are effectively lubricated. The `upper ball bearing isV held in place against the shoulder 34 by a washer 48, nicely fitted between the shaft 16 and hub 42 to prevent escape of the grease from the annular chamber, anda nut 50 threaded on the standard and locked thereto by a set screw 52. Web plates at'interyals about the exterior of the sleeve brace the rotating table and make the structure rigid. Thot-able is rotated by a horizontal shaft, suitably jour naled in the base, having the helical gear or worm 54 in mesh with a helical gear 56 fast onthe hub 42 at its lower end. The teeth (if this woim'and gear are partly submerged in the oil contained in the well. In the embodiment illustrated, the plane in which bearing Vso i loc 26 lies passes horizontally through the worm l and. gearat their medial point ofzcontact.

'lhe radial `rcomponent* of the thrust ofthe gear 56therefore is borne directly upon the bearing. rlhe upward component Yof the thrust of wormteeth at the pitchv of the hub gear is very effectively carried by the upper bearing because vthe high conical bottom permits the setting of thatbearing high Awhere it is in position `both to withstand eccentric loading of the whirling table andY said up- Y ward thrust which tends to tip over the bar-'- rel support ofthe table. 1

A Vdough race 58 is coiled spirally upward and around Vthe standard 16 to-form (in Leeuwen,

conjunction with the inclined face vof the revolving` bowl or table 40) a ltrough along which the mass of dough rolls as it travels from the bottom of the-bowl to its top edge. This race is Ypreferably madeiny successive sections, each supported' by one or more horizontal arms 60 projecting radially from split hubs 62 adjustable in height on the stationary shaft 16. By these the lower edge of the race may be set close to the table.

table serves a plurality ofdough races, simultaneously, each bit of its surface coacting with them alternately. As illustrated in Figs. l, and 2, one of these 58 is for breadloaves, or,\say, for all sizes above four ounces, and the other 64 is for buns, or, say, for sizes underfour' ounces. The dough race 58 y Y begins closeto the shaft 16 and winds spirally, outward.V It irstgoes downward over;

` the surfaceof the conical bottom 4.4: until its bottomedge all but touches the .side wall of the table. As its radial distancefrom the` shaftincreases it rises'along the surface of the table, i. e., the interior ofthe bowl, with its bottom edge close thereto, cooperating with the'tableito form a trough. At a place midway of its climb, the race may be horizontal for about half of its revolution, thus Y the ball has on discharger at the top of the bowl, where the ball isrolled upon a stand *vor a conveyor 68 as indicated in Figurew2.

The smaller dough race 64 is supported in the same manner as the larger, vits arms having split hubs adapted -tobe clamped over the hubs of the arms 'ofthelargerrace Inasmuch as the masses of dough to be kneaded 1 in the trough formed by the small race and the table are of smaller diameter they may be given the requisite revolutions in a. shorter length of trough. It is therefore desirable to feed them yinto their troughiat a point part way up the sideof thebowl. yTo do this a chute at the entrance end ofthe,

small trough is positioned above the bottom of the table, thereby shortening the path: of the smallrba'lls. The small balls `may be guided to this chute from the top of the machine by a vertical trough' (not shown).

In this race, like the other, a Vportion maybe made horizontal, to provide av rest for the dough. Such a portion is illustrated 'by the dot and dash lines 72.

The invention also provides a very sub- It is vaV Vfea-ture of the invention thatonetrevolving against which balls impinge at stantial saving inthe cost of'kneadingv bread by eliminatingthe dusting of the ydough race and table withflour., Hitherto balling machines'have required frequent application of `flour to prevent the dough` from adhering to the surfaceswith which it comes in contact, as any sticking of the dough thereto tears vthe mass. It is advantageous, however, to

provide meansy for y lubricating that .portion of the race'where thedough is weakest andl the stress upon itv greatest. One possible method ofvlubricatio'n is shown, whereby va can 88, havinga valveand pipe, (Figure l) is arranged to' drip-vegetableoil upon a spatter plate 7 4 (Figure 2) attached iat an anglev to the upper edge ofthe largerdough race atthe portion ofgreate-stfclimb, soy that the oil spreads and lubricates the surface of the race where it is wantedY jIn Figures 3and4, thereis" shown a different arrangement ofsupporting arms, and

in addition means wherebya ball after roll-'1v ing upward along onetrougln'lmay be rey turned tothe bottom' of the table to begin a climb-upanothertrough. Their supporting arms 60 in this'modification are placed at yright angles to eachother'about the vertical standard' 16, to form fourequal spaces between Vthem in the hollow ofthe table.

This arrangement enablesthe machine to accommodate .deliveryk conveyersv that may come from various directions as may bemost convenient, in the shop, so as eitherv to" introduce the unmolded mass Vinto one portion of the kneading table or into a portion sub- Do' i loo stantially ninety degrees away. vAscom- 'i ures kl and 2, this is preferable because the adjustment of the'bottom edges ofthe racesV with respect yto the surface of the table is a rather delicateberationr The open spaces of Figs. 3 -and Lprovide for insertionv of a chute for receiving the dough massesin anyl one-l ofthe four spaces, thus providing for cooperation with belts-running to theY machine from any direction, without changing the delivery ends Aof the races.

The provision for'returning lthe dough from the upper' end of onel trough 58V to the bottom of the table comprises a chute 74 attachableto the end of one race into whichA chutethe ball rolls and by which itis directed in its drop toV that portion ofthe table bottom ahead of the entrance end of ,the other trough 58 so that it will thereafter enter the second trough 58 and make another tripup the table, at the end of which it will be discharged from the machine. The sudden and rapid drop of the ball also laids in the kneading ofit, being comparable tothe slapping or dropping of dough on a kneading table by a hand kneader. thisr chute starts with yafdeilectingl plate 7 6 their rise which turns them yinward far Preferably` 'the' end ofv pared with the `arrangement shown in F igj scending part of the chute.

lli)

- traveloi the ball is repeated; or,

enough for the ball to get on the steeply de- As represented the latter turns somewhat backward to its destination but it this is found to retard the balls too much at its entrance it can be otherwise arranged. It it is not desired to have the dough traverse the two troughs successively, the chute may be removed 'from the end of the trough from which it is separable at the division line 78findicated and a section substituted which will guide the ball out from thev machine at the end of its 'lrst climb. Thus used. the machine can handle twice thc quantity oi' material as when the upward as heretofore described, a race ot' smallerdimensions may be attached and ent sizes formed simultaneously.

It will be understood that in t-he use of language to describe the structure of the iny vention the word conical as applied to the table or bowl is used in afgeneral sense as its elements are not necessarily straight lines, although experiences thus tar has indicated that straight line elements are preferable.

Also it is most convenient to refer to the member 58 as a dough race, and to speak ot it as being concave toward the table; although in a sense the dough is held by the trough which is composed by the cooperation of this member with a portion ot the table surface. The member 58 is concave toward the table in this general sense of cooperating therewith to form a concavity` which holds the dough ball, on stationary member whichtaces toward the table. But it will be understood that this member 58 is essentially a moulding board, and that, as has long been known inthe bakers art, it is not necessarily of itself concave as illustrated, but other surfaces may be substituted,as, for example, a dough engaging barrier having straight line elements, or one consisting of a rib with convex surface. The claims yare to be understood in this sense. v

l claim as my invention: f i

1. A forming machine for plastic material that side of the Leconte comprising a rotatable conical moldin table; a vertical standard extending upwar therein; dough races of different sizes supv portedron said standard, extending spirally over said table, adapted to engage different sized masses of plastic material, whereby thel table Works on different 'sizes simultaneous ly; and means for rotating said table about said standard in a. direction crossing the races. y Y

2. A `forming machine comprising a conical molding table conbined with ay race whose course is partly spiral and partly circular, extending over the table, one or' said elements being rotatory, thereby to roll a mass engaged between them. Y 3. A forming machine for plastic masses comprising a conical molding table mounted on a. vertical axis, combined with a race ex-V tending overthe table and along the axis;

one ot' said elements being rotatory thereby to roll a mass engaged between them; the

said race having climbing portions alter-nat` ing with a horizontal portion;

(t. A formingmachine for plasticimasses comprising a conical molding table, a plurality of races extending thereover said races being shaped and supported in relation thereto so that separate races work different sized masses and means for producing relative. motion between said table n and races, the races being arranged rin succession along lthe direction of rotation, whereby different sizes are worked simultaneously on the single table. f Y

5. A forming machine for plastic materials comprising a conica-l molding table combined with a plurality of spiral races extending `thereover and means for producing 'relative rotation between said table and said races; the races being set in alternation around the direction of rotation, whereby the single table works simultaneouslyv on material in separate races. Y 'Y Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this second day of March,'l921.

GUNTHER HL PETRI'.

`tor plastic masses are adapted to 

